A brisk southwest wind has shifted the spectacular fishing of yesterday to a slow bite. So far of the 32 boats fishing in the last day of the tournament, we have recorded no hook-ups.. Someone did catch a dolphin today so we will have gamefish at the scales!

Release grabbed the lead in the billfish release division Friday, the only major shake-up to the leaderboard as the 53rd Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament heads into its final day.

Rom Whitaker, Hatteras, who captains the Release, followed up five white marlin releases Thursday with a blue marlin and a white marlin release Friday to increase his release point total to 1,150. That tops the 1,050 points earned earlier in the week by Jesus Freak, captained by David Walker of Mechanicsville, Va. Walker’s crew released two blue marlins and two white marlins. Read more »

Even though the fourth day of the 53rd Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament produced more billfish activity than any previous day, nobody was able to catch a blue marlin big enough to bring to the scales.

Anglers on 113-of-135 released seven blue marlins, 31 white marlins and 3 sailfish as the billfish bite increased for a second straight day. But the big blue marlin proved elusive and the division remains unchanged as Big Rock heads into its final two days. Read more »

The second day of the 53rd Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament gave no indication it would be different from the first, but Tuesday proved to be the polar opposite of Monday since there were few changes to the leader board.

Even though wind, temperature and sea state were about the same, the bite wasn’t. Competitors on 121-of-135 boats that headed offshore managed just six blue marlin releases and three white marlin releases during six hours of fishing. Read more »